Symptoms Of Anxiety
What Is Anxiety?
When anxiety arises it brings along with it a variety of symptoms that can be very debilitating to those who may not realise they have an anxiety problem. Some of the symptoms of anxiety include, but aren’t limited to:
- Sweating
- Shortness of breath
- Panic attack
- Butterflies in your stomach
- Dry mouth
- Racing heart
These are the most common symptoms associated with an anxiety attack.
Types Of Anxiety Disorders
Anxiety comes in many different forms and can easily manifest in a variety of ways. Some of the most common anxiety disorders include:
Generalised Anxiety Disorder (GAD)
GAD is classified as the persistent and excessive worrying and anxiousness about normal daily activities such as relationships, work and finances. There are 5 percent of people in Australia who suffer from GAD.
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
OCD is characterised as an uncontrollable compulsion towards a specific repetitive behaviour or ritual which is used to help reduce anxiety in an individual.
Social Anxiety Disorder
Social anxiety disorder is when a person feels fearful of social situations and interactions in a strong and persistent way. This can be from something as simple as public speaking to larger social interactions.
Panic Disorder
Panic attacks are known as extremely uncomfortable and intense feelings of fear that overwhelms the body. Panic attacks bring on strong physical symptoms which include sweating, shortness of breath, dry mouth and freezing up. It’s estimated that 30 percent of the Australia population experiences panic attacks each year while 2 percent have a diagnosed Panic Disorder.
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
PTSD is a very strong anxiety which is brought on when an individual witnesses or encounters an extremely horrifying or life threatening situation. This disorder is generally seen in service men and women who have been away at war, but can also be brought on by seeing someone die, a car accident or being diagnosed with a terminal illness. Someone suffering from PTSD will generally have symptoms of:
- Reliving the event over and over again
- Trouble sleeping
- Mood swings
- Flashbacks of the event
- Nightmares
- Trouble relaxing
- PTSD can be exhausting and is found in 6.4 percent of the adults in Australia.
Phobias
Phobias are an intense feeling of fear towards a specific item. It can be an animal, object, transport, or anything else you can see in life. Those who suffer from a phobia tend to avoid the source of what makes them fearful at all costs. The feeling of fear is prolonged and is intense and irrational. Some of the common phobias include:
- Acrophobia, a fear of heights.
- Arachnophobia, a fear of spiders
- Claustrophobia, a fear of being confined
- Agoraphobia, a fear of wide open spaces
Getting Professional Help
If you feel you have an anxiety disorder that you would like help with it’s important to speak to a trained and professional phycologist. Endeavour Wellness is proud to help sufferers of anxiety overcome their fears and give advice on how to best manage their situation. If you would like more information about our anxiety counselling or support services, contact us today on 02 8069 4768
